


Broken Pieces

by BloomValyria



Category: Winx Club
Genre: Angst, Background Relationships, Canon Rewrite, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Internal Conflict, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:34:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25433938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloomValyria/pseuds/BloomValyria
Summary: After the Winx destroyed Darkar in Realix, everyone went back to their normal lives. Except Bloom. While attempting to deal with the struggle of graduating Alfea and recovering from the trauma she endured in ShadowHaunt, she encounters a certain wizard that she never intended to meet. Let alone fall for.
Relationships: Bloom/Valtor | Baltor (Winx Club)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 75





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! I up and decided a couple years ago that I wanted to rewrite my first full-length fic, so here we are. It's been a very long time since I touched this story, and I know there are many people who enjoyed the original, however there are many things that I never addressed in it that never sat right with me, so I thought an updated rewrite was the best option. I don't know how often this will be updated (my hope is frequently), but I hope you all enjoy it nonetheless!

**Chapter One**

“Bloom, I’m in a fashion crisis!”

I rolled my eyes at the shrill voice, unable to hold back the smile it brought. Turning around in my chair, the door to my dorm room burst open. A flustered blonde stood in the entryway, looking anything but pleased behind the enormous stack of clothes in her arms.

“Bloom, did you not hear what I said?” she asked, angrily.

“Yes, Stella, I heard you. And I’m pretty sure every planet from here to Frost heard you, too.” I replied with a laugh.

I quickly blocked the cashmere sweater promptly tossed at my face.

“Ha-ha, very funny.” Making her way across the room, she unceremoniously dumped the pile of clothes onto my bed. “I’m serious. I don’t know how to do this!”

“Your parents have been divorced for how long now? Ten years? I think you’re perfectly capable of choosing what you want to wear to your mom’s and what you want to wear to your dad’s.” Picking up my pencil, I returned to the sketch I’d been working on. Much like many of my recent drawings, it was anything but what I’d hoped for. Just before I could put lead to paper, another huge stack of expensive clothing crushed my sketch.

“But I bought that new summer collection from Wizrahi!” Stella cried; distress laced in her tone. “And then there are those new Spella McCartney sandals I bought last week that go with the green Fairygamo skirt! How do you expect me to separate what clearly goes together?”

“I don’t know, Stel,” I said, beginning to get frustrated. “I’m sure you can come to some kind of conclusion.”

“I need your opinion, though!”

“I haven’t even met your parents! How would I know what either of them would like? Besides, you’re their daughter. They’ll love you even if you wear plaid with stripes.”

She scoffed. “I would never wear something so tragic.”

Grateful she had calmed down a bit, I brought the stack of clothes on my desk over to my bed, adding to the growing pile of haute couture fashion. “Here, how about we play a game?” I suggested, sifting through the load. “I’ll put an outfit together and you say where it’ll look best at –your mom’s or your dad’s palace.”

Stella shrugged, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder. “Sounds simple enough.”

“But, there’s one tiny catch.” She frowned. “Once you pick an outfit, none of those clothes can be transferred to the other suitcase.”

Her gasp of horror filled the air. “That is insanity! How could you suggest something so . . . so inhumane?”

I sighed, tossing the shirt in my hand back. “Fine! If you don’t like my rules, then go ask Musa. I’m sure she’d love to help.”

Judging by the look on her face, she didn’t catch my sarcasm.

“Musa!” she screamed, running out of the room. “Musa, I need your assistance!”

I laughed, hearing a distant slam of a door and its lock clicking.

“Musa, don’t you dare ignore me!” Music began to blare through the common room, barely muffled by the thin walls.

I shook my head, unable to stifle my laughter while heading back to my sketch. After the two years we’d all lived together in the same dormitory, Stella and Musa were still constantly at each other’s throats. They were the living embodiment of opposites with Stella being the fashion forward girly girl and Musa being the oriental tomboy who would only wear a skirt if you killed her first.

“You are horrible.”

Glancing over my shoulder, I caught a glimpse of my smiling roommate walking in.

“I'm only trying to get them to bond before summer starts.”

“No, you just wanted to get Stella out.” Flora chuckled.

Viciously erasing a particularly bad line on my sketch, I began drawing the curve again.

“Okay, so maybe I did something against my better judgment. I’m sure no one’s going to die from it.”

Flora laughed and slid a chair up next to mine. Her eyes inspected my drawing, taking in every detail I made. She appeared to be curious but said nothing. “I didn’t know you were still drawing.” Flora said, nodding towards my sketch.

I shrugged. “I’m not that great at it anymore.” Snatching the picture off the desk, she held it up in front of me. “What are you talking about? These are amazing, Bloom!”

“Not really. I’ve done better.”

“Well, if you want, I can give you a few pointers. Helia’s been teaching me some things about drawing.”

“Oh, has he?” I asked, waggling my eyebrows at the mention of her boyfriend.

“Bloom!” Flora scolded, her cheeks flushing.

“Lighten up, Flo! You know I’m kidding.”

“Still, you poke fun at my relationship all the time!”

“Only because you make it so easy!”

She began rifling through one of the desk drawers, looking at the sketches I’d crammed inside it. “What if I said something about you and Sky?”

I threw my hands up in innocence. “Go right ahead! My boyfriend and I are completely secure in our relationship. Poke fun as much as you want!”

She raised an eyebrow, doubtful. “Your call with him earlier didn’t sound very secure.”

The line I was drawing faltered.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” Flora said. “I was coming back from picking up a few herbs from Professor Palladium and I heard you and Sky yelling at each other. It sounded really bad, so I left to give you two some privacy.”

There had been yelling. A lot of yelling. Although, that seemed to be the case between Sky and I, lately.

“We sort of had a fight earlier,” I mumbled.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Setting my pencil down for what seemed like the millionth time, I sighed. “I don’t know. I suggested spending some quality time with him and his parents for a couple days. Erendor and Samara had mentioned going boating before everything with. . .” I hesitated. “But the second I brought it up, Sky freaked.”

“He freaked?”

“Yeah. He started coming up with all these excuses about how he had ‘things he had to take care of.’ I mean, I know his parents don’t like me, but I thought we were on decent terms after I helped save his ex-fianceé.”

She said nothing, but the way she fiddled with the handle of the drawer sparked an interest in me.

“What?”

“It’s nothing,” she insisted. “It’s just . . . maybe they caught wind.”

“Caught wind of what?”

“You know. Maybe they heard about what happened in Rel–”

I bristled. “Don’t.” If there was one thing I refused to speak on regarding my relationship with Sky, it was that. A rift had already been formed between us, and the thought it would have created another between his parents and me was one I absolutely did not need. Her eyes poured sympathy.

“It’s a possibility.”

I shot her a look, a warning she was crossing a line. Unafraid of my wrath, she shot one right back.

“Fine,” I mumbled. “Maybe.”

Flora smiled, laying a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I don’t do this to upset you, sweetie. I do it because I care.”

I opened my mouth to reply with something snarky when Stella poked her head into the room again. A wide smile was plastered across her face, seeming to have completely moved on from her packing dilemma. “Hey, Tecna and Layla are waiting for us in the courtyard! How does a pizza trip to Magix before everyone goes home sound?”

“I never say no to pizza!” I immediately complied, leaping up from my chair. “I just need to put my stuff up. I’ll meet you all down there.”

She was gone, yelling for Musa to hurry up the moment I finished speaking.

I went to sweep my pencils into their case, when Flora’s hand appeared on my shoulder.

“Hey, I know you don’t like talking about Relix,” she said. “I know how traumatic it was for you, and I want to make sure you’re okay. And if this thing with Sky is really bothering you and you want to talk, I’m here.”

“I’m fine, Flo.” I told her. “It’s not a big deal. My boyfriend just doesn’t want me around his family because he’s afraid I’m going to turn dark and murder everyone.”

Despite it being a joke, we both felt the sting of its truth.

* * *

Alfea’s courtyard was nearly bare by the time Flora and I arrived. Most of the students had already left, dying to go home and spend as much time with their families as they could during our short break. Some still remained, clustered in their groups in the cool confines of the shade. But, of course, we were the oddball group. The remaining four of us (Stella, Musa, Tecna, and Layla) were bunched together at the well in the very center of the courtyard, waiting for us to join them in the sun. Stella’s voice could be heard the moment we stepped outside, ranting about my ‘atrocious’ idea for how to separate her clothes.

“Stella, you complain about everyone’s fashion choices!” Musa exclaimed, from her spot on the well’s edge. “Why would you trust our choices for you when you hate the ones we make for ourselves?”

The blonde looked offended. “Because you are my friends, Musa! I’d hoped that I had taught you all enough to at least put together a decent outfit.” She gave the musician’s outfit a once-over, flaring her nostrils. “Clearly I was wrong.”

“Wasn’t she begging for her help not twenty minutes ago?” Flora whispered to me, smiling.

I shrugged. Trying to understand Stella was an impossible task. I figured if I ever attempted I’d spontaneously combust.

“Now here is a well-taught pupil!” Stella announced as we arrived. “Bloom, the sweater and boots combo –good choices, keep making them!”

Giving her a fake smile, I nodded. “I try.”

“Speaking of fashion,” Layla interrupted. “Did you ever finish packing?”

“No,” I laughed. “Her entire closet is still in my room.”

“I have several packed, thank you!” Stella defended. “It’s what’s left in your room that’s complicating things.”

“By my calculations, you can’t properly divide your wardrobe for two separate locations. Your clothes don’t amount to an even split.” Tecna said as she typed furiously into her phone.

Stella’s eyes bugged out of her head. “What?”

“You calculated her wardrobe?” I asked, amazed. “Is that even possible?”

“It’s Tecna.” Musa replied. “Are you honestly shocked?”

“I don’t believe you!” Stella denied. “I was able to split it last year!”

“Yes, but you must take into consideration the new clothes you bought this year,” Tecna said. “Your wardrobe has increased inconsiderably and, in doing so, you managed to arrive at an odd number.”

Stella’s eyes panned over to me, begging for me to magically make everything better.

“Don’t look at me,” I told her. “I’m the one who told you it was a bad idea to buy the entire Wizrahi collection last week.”

She somehow managed to become even more distraught. “I’m checking this out for myself right now! Where are my bags?”

I perked up, feeling a burst of excitement. “I’ll get them!”

“No!”

The six voices stopped me in my tracks. Turning back to the girls, my heart sunk at the sight of their panicked and worried expressions.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, sweetie?” Flora asked, stepping forward. “You know what Ms. F said about your powers.”

A flash of annoyance rushed through me. Of course, I knew what Ms. F had said. It was the same thing everyone else had been saying to me for the past six weeks. How could I not know it at this point?

"I’m perfectly capable of doing simple spells,” I assured her, unclenching my teeth.

“But Bloom –”

“ _Hitherus_!”

The girls cowered, awaiting the impending disaster.

Our dorm room’s balcony doors burst open. Four of Stella’s suitcases floated out, ever so slowly flying toward us.

“See?” I said, a triumphant smirk crossing my face. “I’m totally in control.”

“Check again,” Musa said. “Look!”

Layla jumped into action as soon as the bags began crashing toward the ground. “Don’t worry! It’s my turn to get this!”

I don’t think Stella had ever been more grateful for Layla’s expert gymnastics skills. With a few well-timed jumps and flips, Layla successfully caught a suitcase on each arm and one ankle, managing to balance on just one foot. Stella nearly passed out from relief, whining about how they were her ‘precious babies.’

“That was a close one.”

“Not close enough,” Musa said. Directing our attention back to the balcony, we saw one final suitcase fly out of the doors.

“Based on the trajectory and speed of that bag, if Layla doesn’t move within a few seconds, it’s logical to say that–”

The suitcase collided with Layla before she could finish.

Musa shook her head, sadly. “Be a little faster next time, Tec.”

“My couture!” Stella screamed, eyes scanning through the now-open suitcases scattered across the courtyard. “Do you know how long it took me to separate those bags?”

I nearly jumped at the tanned hand that appeared on my shoulder. “Maybe it’s best not to push yourself,” Flora said, keeping her voice low. “It’s okay. There’s still some darkness lingering around; it’s expected. Give it some time. I’m sure your powers will bounce back soon.”

A bolt of fury exploded in my chest. I opened my mouth, ready for whatever vile thing the darkness had prepared for the nature fairy.

“What is that?”

The distant student’s cry snapped me back.

All of us looked up to see a bright sun flare appear before us. The intensity of the flare mixed with the intensity of the sun was enough to nearly blind us, forcing everyone to squint. Stella barely seemed to notice, looking straight at it.

Squinting past the light, I struggled to make out the hologram of a blonde woman in a blue and orange page’s outfit holding a scroll in her hand.

"It's a Sungram from Solaria!” Stella exclaimed. “Wanda's the official palace messenger!"

"The Royal Court of Solaria is pleased to announce our official Princess Ball!" a woman's voice rang out, followed by a loud trumpet sound.

There was another blaze of bright light and the woman was gone, replaced by an outline of a man in regal garb I didn't recognize. "You're going to love your party, Stella! And I have a surprise announcement I'm going to make there that I believe will make you very happy."

The flare flashed once then completely dissipated, only leaving a trail of smoke in its stead.

Blinking away the black spots that filled my vision, I glanced over at Stella. She was surprisingly silent. However, as soon as my vision cleared, I saw her dropped jaw and the wide smile stretching over her face.

Damn.

Stella screeched, jumping up and down, the suitcases sprawled across the ground forgotten. “I can’t believe it! I’m actually going to have a Princess Ball!”

“Stella, calm down!” Layla yelled, shaking the blonde's shoulders. “You’re scaring the other students.”

“I don’t like to sound dumb,” I interjected. “But what’s a Princess Ball?”

“Something stupid,” Musa muttered.

“It’s like a princess’s coming out to society,” Layla explained.

“We don’t have anything like that on Zenith,” Tecna said, typing into her phone again. “But, according to my research, it’s a celebration held by a princess’s parents on her eighteenth birthday. It’s merely a social gathering to publicly announce that the heir to the throne will soon begin her training to ascend the throne.”

“Years ago, parents used to use them to announce who the princess would marry,” Layla said, a frown etched on her face. “Some still do.”

“Like an arranged marriage?” I asked. “I didn’t think most kingdoms abided by that anymore.”

The dark-skinned fairy nodded. “They usually don’t, but some royals are stuck in tradition.”

I nearly flinched at how bitter Layla's words were. Stealing a glance, I noticed her aura. It was enveloped in a murky blue color with the same tight frown on its face. I didn’t know what exactly it was about the subject, but it had definitely perturbed her.

“So, like I said,” Musa said, interrupting my thoughts. “Something stupid.”

“It’s the most amazing thing in the entire universe!” Stella squealed. “I didn’t think I’d have one because of my parents’ split, but I was wrong!”

As much as I hated to rain on Stella’s parade, I agreed with Musa. Holding a ball in honor of a princess going into training for her ascension seemed a bit exaggerated. Was it necessary to go to such lengths over something Stella was supposed to do anyway?

It wasn’t even her birthday.

Hell, she was going to be turning _twenty_ this year. Why was her father so insistent on having one now?

“I have so much work to do before this weekend!” Stella said. “I have to buy a dress, and shoes, and jewelry, and send the invitations, and –”

There was a deadly pause.

Glancing over to Stella, I noticed her mischievous smile as her eyes landed on me. “No.”

“Oh, Bloom, please?” she begged, clasping her hands together. “You have to come!”

“Stel, no offense,” I told her, “but I’ve been through a lot of shit in the past couple of weeks. I want to go home!”

“Yeah, Stella,” Flora agreed. “Bloom’s more than earned a rest after everything. We can throw a mini celebration when we all get back and things return to normal.”

Normal. That word didn’t seem real anymore. Neither did the possibility of it.

“But it’s tradition for the princess to have her best friend at the ball!” Stella said. “This is a once in a lifetime thing! Please?”

Frankly, the last thing I wanted to do was attend a ball. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go for Stella. I was still recovering and that was as good of an excuse as any. But, truthfully, I didn’t want to go because I’d never been to one before. I'd never even been to a normal ball, let alone a _princess_ ball. I hadn’t had the luxury of growing up as a princess on Sparx. I grew up on Earth. The only real experience I had with royalty other than Stella and Layla was Sky and his parents. It was a constant guessing game on if I was walking, eating, or even speaking correctly. And Queen Samara loved to point out when I was doing it _incorrectly_.

The thought of expressing that concern to Stella was instantly brushed off. She had the ability to acknowledge other people’s feelings but empathizing with them was another story.

Sighing in defeat, I ran a hand through my hair. “Alright, fine. I’ll tell Mike and Vanessa I’ll be a few days late.”

Stella screeched again, throwing her arms around me. “This is going to be so much fun!”

Musa snickered, leaning close to my ear. “You are so screwed.”

“Hey, Bloom!” I turned toward the voice behind me, noticing a girl with a choppy red bob wearing a pumpkin t-shirt running toward us.

“Mirta!” I greeted, doing my best to hide my confusion. “What’s up?”

“Headmistress Faragonda sent me,” she said, breathing heavily. “She needs to see you in her office right away.”

Layla and Musa both _ooh_ -ed loudly. “Somebody’s in trouble!”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring them. “Did she say what it was about?”

Mirta shrugged. “Not really. Just that it was important.”

Flora perked up. “Maybe it’s good news!”

“When do we ever get good news, Flo?” Musa said, tightening her pigtails.

“She has a point,” Stella agreed, finally releasing me from her bearhug.

Straightening my clothes, I started the trek to Faragonda’s office. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I promised. “Don’t leave without me!”

“Then hurry up!” Stella demanded. “We have to get to the mall before all the good dresses are gone!”

I bit back my groan. Going on a shopping spree for ball gowns was not on my list of enjoyable things to do today. And I didn’t say it aloud, but I was certain I wasn’t going to enjoy this meeting either.

* * *

Many things constantly changed about Alfea, but Faragonda’s office was never one of them. The enormous bookshelves lining the walls and the vaulted ceiling should’ve overwhelmed anyone who walked in, but there was a warmth to the room that immediately relaxed you upon entering. After two years, I still couldn’t determine whether it was something natural or something magical that caused it.

Across the room, an older woman with graying hair pinned on top her head faced away from me behind a cedar stained desk. She’d pulled back the thick curtains, revealing the ceiling high windows that replaced the wall.

“Hey, Ms. Faragonda,” I said, approaching the desk. “Mirta said you wanted to see me. Is something wrong?”

The woman turned to greet me with smiling dark eyes. “Not at all, my dear. I only wanted to speak with you before you left.” She motioned towards one of the two chairs perched before the desk. “Please have a seat.”

A voice whispered in my head to run while I still had the chance, but I accepted her offer.

“I wanted to let you know that I received word from the Magix Council,” she said. “Icy, Darcy, and Stormy are scheduled to enter the Omega Dimension this afternoon.”

My stomach twisted at the mention of the witches. From what I’d read, Omega was a frozen wasteland of a prison. Only reserved for the hardest of criminals, it was said to be escape-proof. The inmates were encased in a block of ice and dropped from a hovercraft, left to spend their sentence in suspended animation with nothing but their thoughts. What few prisoners came out typically became mentally insane and eventually institutionalized.

Darcy and Stormy had received a five year sentence.

Icy received fifteen years.

“You’re sure they can’t get out?” I asked again. “Ice is kind of Icy’s thing. She could break out of that block in half a second.”

“Even if she did, there would be no escape from Omega itself. There are no working portals anywhere on the planet.”

I knew she was right. But something deep inside me still had doubts. Light Rock was supposed to be escape-proof as well, and they were able to prove them wrong. Granted, they'd had the help of Darkar, but it proved to the world that escape wasn’t as impossible as they led on. Somehow those witches always managed to prove the world wrong.

“I couldn’t help but notice your demonstration in the courtyard.”

I chuckled, nervously. “Yeah, that didn’t exactly go as planned. But, I think I’m getting better! It definitely went better than last time. No fires!”

It was so silent I could’ve sworn I still heard Stella’s excited screaming from outside.

“Bloom, I know you are eager to practice magic again,” she said, readjusting her glasses. “But we must proceed with caution. We are still unsure just what all happened to you in Shadow Haunt.”

My hand tensed around the arm of the chair. So it was to be this conversation yet again. I’d lost count of how many times she’d attempted to speak with me about it over the past several weeks. I had hoped she’d finally given up on approaching me about the subject since I’d been actively avoiding her like the plague.

“No, but I know what all happened to me in Shadow Haunt.” I plastered on the usual fake smile, shielding my discomfort. “I can assure you, Ms. F, my magic and myself are fine.”

“There is no need to put up a front, Bloom,” she persisted. “It’s alright to admit if you’re not. No one’s expecting you to bounce back so soon.”

I stopped myself from snarling. There was that phrase again. _Bounce back_. A blatant lie. That’s exactly what everyone expected. I always bounced back from battles until now. That’s why I couldn’t seem to escape this conversation. Because I hadn’t _bounced back_ yet.

“I’m fine.” The words came out harsher than I intended. “Just because I had a minor slip up with the levitation spell doesn’t mean I’m putting up a front. I’m fine and my magic is fine.”

“Is that why you can’t manage a simple levitation spell?”

Heat radiated through my palms, ready to be unleashed at the insult. I clenched my hand tighter, desperate to keep it at bay. “Maybe if you all let me use my powers then I could manage a simple levitation spell.” I said, gritting my teeth. “They’re becoming rusty.”

Her brow furrowed, looking far from convinced. “I know you’re determined to prove everything is fine, including with your magic. But after your outburst with Professor Avalon upon your return from Shadow Haunt, we cannot take that risk. Once you return to school after break then we can discuss you using your powers on school grounds again.”

I winced at the memory of my return to Alfea. Despite only weeks passing, it felt like a lifetime ago. However, I remembered it like it happened yesterday. Avalon’s face paling at the sight of me. The bitter taste of dark magic on my tongue. Sky and Riven practically dragging me up the stairs in the Great Hall. All the while, three words kept piercing the air.

_It’s not him._

_It’s not him._

“That was an accident,” I muttered. “Of course I was going to lose control when I saw him. No one told me about Avalon --I thought he was working with Darkar. How was I supposed to know there was a real Avalon when I was off being kidnapped by a fake Avalon?”

“I know it’s not what you want to hear,” she continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “Regardless, it’s best if we try to contain things for now. For all we know, using your powers may amplify the darkness within you. And with how volatile your darkness appears to be, it would be unwise to tempt fate.”

“Here’s an idea.” Words spilled out of my mouth that weren’t my own. The metal began to bend beneath my fingertips as familiar shadowy claws raked down my mind. “Why don’t you just use a sedation spell on me until you and the Council decide I’m fine? You know, since you’re all so concerned I’m going to levitate something and take someone’s head off with it.”

Stunned silence.

A sense of smugness waved through me. It was rare to see the usually diplomatic and all-knowing Faragonda at a loss for words. I actually found it rather entertaining.

No, I didn’t find it entertaining.

_She_ did. That sweet, seductive voice that hadn’t left my head since waking up in Relix. _She_ constantly taunted me, whispered disgusting, awful things into the deepest parts of my brain. And sometimes those disgusting, awful things slipped off my tongue. This time was tame. But the longer this went on, I knew it would only get worse, furthering Ms. F’s point. Once the darkness stirred, it was next to impossible to come back from it. At least, not for a long time. I wasn’t about to let it overpower me while I still held a thread of control.

“I have to go,” I quickly mumbled, rising to my feet and rushing to the door. The metal arms of the chair were bright red, blazing hot from my Dragon Fire. “The girls are waiting for me outside.”

“Bloom, wait!”

My hand hovered over the door knob.

“I’m sorry this happened to you, Bloom,” Ms. F said. She chose her words carefully, not wanting to scare me off. Like I was a frightened animal. “I truly am. But you need to accept the truth that you’re not fine. It’s time to talk to someone about what happened to you.”

Guilt punctured my gut. I knew she was just trying to help, but it didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

“Ms. F, I have no interest in talking about Shadow Haunt or Relix,” I snapped. “And I never will.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never want to look at this chapter again. I've been staring at it for 3 months, and I'm just *done*. There was so much I had to shove in here, and there was no other way than to make the chapter this long (in fact it was going to be way longer but I made the decision to split it). I'm so sorry. I'll also try to not take as long to finish chapter 3, but I refuse to make any promises. However, I'm much more excited for chapter 3, so I might be able to actually keep to my word this time. Regardless, please enjoy the 18 and a half pages this hell chapter turned into!

"A masquerade!"

"Please don’t make it a masquerade."

"What's wrong with a masquerade?”

"Everything! They’re the definition of cliché!”

Flora glanced at me from across the table in the pizzeria, her eyes pleading for me to intervene. On the bus coming to Magix City, Stella had been gleefully spouting different themes for her party. Instead of allowing everyone to have a pleasant ride, Musa decided to debate Stella on every theme idea she had. I shrugged at the nature fairy. Why she thought I had that power, I didn’t know.

"It’s official! My Princess Ball is going to be a masquerade!” Stella announced, cutting Musa off. “Tecna, can you make sure everyone on the guest list gets the memo? Remember, I want to keep it under a thousand.”

Tecna was already typing into her phone, but flashed her a thumbs up.

"Why do you want a masquerade?" I asked, interrupting the argument. "Your party's already going to make news, right?"

"Duh! But it's _my_ party. Therefore, I will make sure it goes down in history."

"And a masquerade will make history how?"

"Solaria hasn't had a masquerade ball in over 200 years,” Tecna said from her spot by the door. “If Stella chooses to make her theme masquerade then it will not only be labeled as the most eccentric party of the year, but also one that could have the potential to make history books."

"There hasn't been a masquerade on your planet in 200 years?” I repeated, astounded. “That’s the theme of pretty much every eighth grade dance on Earth.”

Stella shook her head. "It's a tragedy they’re so rare here. They're so romantic!"

"Yes, because romance is what we're all looking for,” Layla said, crossing her arms. “Don’t you already have a boyfriend?”

"Well, duh! But what about all the singles out there?" She waggled her eyebrows at Layla. “Or the single in this room?”

The Princess of Tides rolled her eyes. "Stella, I don't need a boyfriend nor do I want one. I've managed to survive this long without one –the rest shouldn't be that difficult."

"Oh, come on, Layla!” the blonde shouted, slamming her fist on the marble counter. “Your über-feminist ways are nothing compared to my matchmaker skills. I am the queen of love! And you, my dear Layla, are in desperate need of a man."

“I’m in desperate need of an aspirin.”

A devious smile crossed Stella’s face. "Plus, might I add, I am the reason why everyone else here has a boyfriend. My track record is immaculate.”

"I hope it crashes and burns,” Layla said. “In fact, I hope your most prized couple breaks up.”

Stella gasped in horror. "Don't say that! Now you've jinxed Bloom and Sky!"

I raised an eyebrow. "My relationship is your greatest triumph?" I couldn’t help but snicker at the irony. Clearly Brandon had yet to fill her in on my fight with Sky.

"Um, yes! Aside from my relationship, you and Sky have been together the longest. Plus I managed to get you two to meet within 24 hours of knowing you. If that's not a major accomplishment, what is?"

"Can we get the pizza and go, please?" Musa yelled. "I'm starving!"

Flora shot me a sad half-smile across the table. Both of us knew it was anything but paradise in Musa's love life. We all thought she and Riven had grown closer since the fight in Relix until she came to Flora one night a few weeks ago, wondering how to handle his attitude. I could guarantee if you looked up the word, you'd find Riven's face plastered across the page with his stupid spiked hair. It wasn't a surprise to anyone that he was a total jerk with an attitude problem, seeing that he always had an arrogant air about him. After the past two years of being around Musa, however, he seemed to get a bit softer. Not much, but just enough to barely be noticed. Ever since she poured her heart out to Flora night, though, any slight mention of boys seemed to set the musician off.

"Yes, I recall being bribed with pizza," I agreed. "However, there is no pizza in my hands."

"Oh, please, it’s only been ten minutes! You all are such babies!" Stella complained. "You two have feet!"

"Says the girl who claims she can't change the channel because she just got a pedicure." Musa mumbled.

The quiet of the pizzeria was disturbed by the shrill ding of a bell, drawing my eyes to the door. Three girls around our age stalked inside, noses high in the air. They weren’t from Alfea, and judging by their uniform dresses, they didn’t attend Cloud Tower either. I wasn’t familiar with any other magic schools in Magix, and from the look on Musa’s face, I wasn’t alone in my confusion.

At the head of the group was a pale, skeletal girl with a waterfall of black hair and dark eye makeup to complement her burgundy dress. The other two girls looked similar to her, one with a red braided ponytail and the other with pink pigtails, but both wore navy dresses with matching bows in their hair. Mischievous smirks pulled at the two girls’ dark lips as the black-haired one approached the counter, stopping just out of Stella’s line of sight. A sense of foreboding thickened in the silent air, as the girl studied each of the blonde’s movements. Then her eyes shifted to the pizza box in the worker’s hands, gleaming wickedly.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re about to fight them?” Layla muttered under her breath.

“Because we’ve had a decent day,” I said. “That’s against the natural order of things.”

Just as the worker was about to set the pizza box in Stella’s hands, the dark-haired girl snatched it away.

“Excuse you!” Stella exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. “That’s ours!”

The girl gave her a cavalier shrug. “Possession is nine-tenths of the law,” she replied, her light voice cutting like a knife.

“Perfect,” I said, rising to my feet. “Then my fireball is about to take possession of nine-tenths of your face.”

“Bloom!” Flora warned, looking horrified.

Stella rolled her eyes at the girl. “Whatever. Keep it. Consider it charity.” She leaned over the counter, searching for the chef. “Hey, chef guy! When’s the next one coming out?”

The man poked his head out from the back. “The next one won’t be out for another twenty minutes.”

Stella’s jaw dropped. “ _Twenty_ _minutes_?”

The dark-haired girl’s lips widened in an unfriendly smile. “You won’t mind waiting.”

Stella whirled on her, brown eyes burning with rage. “No, you won’t mind waiting!” she snapped, yanking the pizza box towards her.

The tug sent both girls flying across the room, pizza toppings getting all over their designer dresses. Despite how horrified each of them were, they shot to their feet with a stain removal spell to save their clothes.

" _Vanishus_!"

" _Stainus_ _Removus_!"

"Ugh, what are you?" the girl asked, her nose turned up in disgust. "Alfea fairies?"

"Yeah!" Stella exclaimed, angrily. "What are you?"

Over-dramatically spinning around, she snapped her fingers high in the air. "Betas."

Her two friends started to do a horribly basic dance routine behind her, their smirks matching hers. " _Tick, tock_! _Tick, tock_! _Betas, rule_! _Betas, rock_!"

I bit my lip to stifle the laughter threatening to burst out of my throat. Catching Musa and Layla out of the corner of my eye, I saw them hiding their reddening faces.

"Where's Beta?" Stella asked with a laugh. "In the realm of Cutesy?"

"At least we're not from the realm of Dork!" she spat, rage in her eyes.

Her friends snapped their fingers. " _Snap, snap_!"

Musa buried her face in her hands to keep from laughing out loud.

“Anyway,” Flora interrupted, stepping in front of Stella. “What are you girls doing in Magix? The Beta Academy is a good distance from here. You must’ve traveled so far for something important.”

“Chimera’s having a Princess Ball,” the redhead spoke up in a nasally voice, nodding towards the dark-haired girl.

Tecna immediately brandished her phone, typing away.

“Oh, really?” Flora continued, still trying to diffuse the tension. “It’s a small universe after all then, isn’t it, Bloom?”

“What?”

She subtly jerked her head towards the Beta girls, maintaining her polite smile.

“Right!” I chirped, leaping to Flora’s aide with a smile of my own. “Stella’s having a Princess Ball, too! Isn’t that right, Stella?”

Her amber eyes burned into the wall on the other side of the pizzeria, refusing to acknowledge that I’d spoken to her.

“ _Stella_.”

She heaved her shoulders in a dramatic sigh, turning back around to face the Betas. “Why yes, Bloom. I am having a Princess Ball, too.” She grit every robotic word through her teeth.

“Which realm are you from?” I asked Chimera. She said nothing, continuing to glare daggers at Stella. The malicious reticence was enough to make even Chimera’s friends fidget.

“We’re dress shopping,” the pigtailed girl added, nervously.

“Cool, so are we!” Flora clasped her hands together. “We have so much in common! It’s so nice to meet other fairies from a different magic school.”

Chimera’s lip curled, swinging her attention to the nature fairy. “What are you made of? Gumdrops and sugar plum pie?”

“Whoa, hold up!” Musa exclaimed, intervening at last. “You can say whatever you want about Stella. But don’t diss my girl, Flora!”

“Yeah!” Stella agreed, stepping forward. “Aside from the comment about me.”

Chimera advanced toward Stella in a single stride, daring to get inches away from her face. “What are you going to do about it?”

There was definitely something between them that wasn't being said. Layla and I gave each other the same confused look, noticing the odd intensity between them. I didn’t know why, but Chimera had it out for Stella. Which, in a way, made sense. Stella made plenty of enemies from the other magic schools with her unsolicited fashion advice. But she didn’t seem to know this girl at all. If they’d never met before, why was there such animosity coming from Chimera?

"You know what?" I interrupted, hearing Stella begin to growl. "I think it's time that we head to the mall, now."

"Good idea," Flora said, nodding in agreement.

Musa saluted the girls. “Nice to meet you Beta girls! We’d love to stay and keep chatting but we have to be . . .” She trailed off, trying to think of an excuse. “Somewhere other than here.”

“Literally anywhere else,” Layla mumbled.

"No! I'm not done here!" Stella shouted, twisting her Solaria ring. Flora and I lunged forward at the same time, grabbing her arm before she could take it off.

"Yes, you are!" I said as we began to drag the princess outside. She was too distracted by her fury to put up a decent fight, allowing us to drag her to the door. “Let’s go get this shopping trip over with!”

When we reached the exit, Stella broke out of her rage and cast a smug grin toward Chimera. "By the way, that pre-teen meets Goth look is very becoming on you. You should really stick with it."

A furious look came over Chimera’s face and she bared her teeth. If she wasn’t pissed about unsolicited fashion advice, she most certainly was now.

Tecna spun around as we filed out, snapping her fingers. " _Snap_!"

" _Tecna_ ," I growled.

"Good one, Tec!" Stella said, smirking as I shoved her out the door.

* * *

Magix City was one of the most popular tourist attractions of the Magic Dimension, always bustling with people –and today was no exception. Tourists and natives alike milled about the sidewalks, some even dared the streets, passing around us as we stood outside the only shop Stella deemed worthy enough to buy her 'dream dress' at.

“Tecna, invitation update!” Stella demanded. “It’s been half an hour. Who’s RSVPed?”

Tecna whipped out her phone, tapping on the screen. “So far over 150 guests have replied as attending.”

Stella huffed. “Not as many as I’d hoped, but since this is last minute I’ll take it. Anyone we know that’s on the list?”

“Brandon’s RSVPed, of course,” she replied. “Helia, Timmy, Riven, and Mirta also RSVPed!”

“That doesn’t sound right.” The blonde started counting off the names on her fingers, furrowing her brow. “Sky! That’s who I’m forgetting! What about Sky?”

I tensed at the mention of my boyfriend. I noticed Flora staring warily at me, already anticipating Stella’s impending explosion.

“Not yet,” Tecna said.

My shoulders sagged, relief washing over me. Somehow those two simple words managed to ease and worsen my anxiety. _Not yet_.

A pang of guilt ached in my chest. I knew I shouldn’t be relieved to hear my boyfriend might not come to what would be my very first ball. Despite our fight, I should’ve been devastated. Angry even. But I was certain our argument would make its grand return during the party. We’d step back into a semblance of normality, and things would be great. Until we were left alone. I’d known Sky long enough to know it wasn’t in his nature to leave well enough alone. Except this time I couldn’t hang up on him if he pushed me too far. This time I’d be trapped in a crowded ballroom, unable to walk away, choking on the darkness dying to tear out his throat the second he pushed too far.

But Sky hadn’t RSVPed. _Not yet_.

He wasn’t coming. _Not yet_.

I didn’t have to worry about it. _Not yet_.

“Ugh! Riven RSVPed before Sky? What universe are we living in?” Stella said. She threw her hands on her hips, whirling on me. “What stick is up your boyfriend’s royal butt?”

I shrugged. “Maybe he’s already on Eraklyon. You know how strict his parents are. Once he’s in their clutches, you can’t exactly get him out of it.”

She narrowed her eyes at me, but shockingly said nothing.

"Moving on,” I announced, desperately trying to shift her attention away from me and Sky. “I’m going to find pizza, because that’s what I was promised.”

"Ditto!" Musa chimed in. "If you need us, we’re going to find a pizza place we’re not probably banned from."

Before I could take a step, a firm grip on my arm jerked me back to an unsatisfied Stella. "Bloom, if you think you’re getting out of dress shopping, you really don’t understand how our friendship works.”

"Besides, didn’t you want to get your hair spelled?" Flora piped up, looking over at the musician.

Her eyes widened, recalling her plans. "Oh yeah. Sorry, B."

I sighed with contempt then immediately pouted at Flora.

She gave a small smile, shaking her head. "I’m meeting up with Helia."

I frowned, weighing my options. If there was one thing I despised more than shopping with Stella, it was being a third wheel on one of Flora and Helia’s nature watches. However . . . "Will you be getting pizza?”

She shook her head again.

“Dammit!” I shouted. “Tecna, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to a video game tournament to study the enhancements on Timmy's new game." Just as uninteresting as I’d assumed. A shame, but I expected nothing less.

"Layla,” I begged, staring at her with the last glimmer of hope I possessed. "Please.”

"I'm going surfing."

I hung my head in defeat. "You're killin' me Smalls."

The girls gave me blank stares.

"Forget it! It’s an Earth thing!" I explained, not bothering to resist as Stella hauled me to the store’s entrance.

"Have fun in hell!" Musa called after us as she and the others took off down the street.

I glowered at Stella, tearing myself out of her grasp. "I hope you're happy with yourself."

Laughing, she threw an arm around my shoulder. "I promise we'll get another pizza later. But right now, we have more important things to take care of!"

I doubted that but still let her lead me inside.

“Get ready to be amazed!” she announced. She swung open the doors, grinning like a five year old on Christmas morning. “Welcome to paradise!”

Much like my first time experiencing Magix City, I was overwhelmed with baffling disappointment.

It was empty.

The entire showroom floor was barren, except for several small white platforms placed around the room, each of them designated its own enormous mirror floating a few feet away. Display cases of jewelry and other expensive accessories were lined up on the left, with only two workers attending them. And there wasn’t a single dress in sight.

“ _This_ is where you wanted to go?” I asked. “There’s nothing here!”

“Duh!” she exclaimed. “They’re previews of the gowns. You just hop on a platform and the catalogue picks a dress for you to start with. And luckily with magic, you can see what the dress looks like on you. Then you keep telling it your preferences until you find the perfect one! You know, like more sparkle, no tulle, or whatever it is you want.”

“That’s a thing?”

“Only in the high end stores,” she said. “Now, let’s go! My dream dress is waiting for me!”

Stella ran past all of the empty platforms, and started heading up the spiral glass staircase that led to the second floor. She was already halfway up them when I reached her. “Where are you going? This floor is completely empty. Why can’t we use one down here?”

“Yeah, _hello_!” she drawled, peering over the banister. “Are you insane? This is my _Princess Ball_! I can’t have anyone see my dress before the party! Besides, what if someone sees how amazing I look in it and tries to buy it? I can’t have someone show up wearing the dress I’m wearing! It’d be a total scandal!”

“Of course,” I said, dryly. “How silly of me. I can’t believe I said something so ridiculous.”

She either didn’t catch my sarcasm or was straight up ignoring me, waving to follow her as she ascended the stairs. “Come on, Bloom, we don’t have time to waste! Fashion beckons us!”

I sighed, staring up the glass staircase. Part of me knew I had to go. The other considered making a break for the exit while she wasn’t looking. With her being on the second floor, I could cross the showroom floor in no time at all.

“Wow,” I said, deciding to trail after her. “This is absolutely riveting. I’m so glad I abandoned my holiday plans with my parents so that I could have the privilege of sitting and watching you stand on a platform all day instead.”

"Don't be such a baby! Remember, you're going to have to try on dresses, too." Stepping onto one of the platforms, a bright flash of light enveloped her, leaving the blonde in a long, one-shouldered magenta gown.

"Whoa! What?" 

She picked up the skirt, raising an eyebrow. "What? Too sparkly?"

"Why do I need a dress?” I asked. “I have plenty of dresses!"

Stella placed her hands on her hips, narrowing her gaze while her newly done ponytail swished behind her. "Bloom, you will not go to my Princess Ball wearing some thirty dollar dress you picked up at a JCPenney's on Earth that you've worn five times to other events."

I matched her glare, plopping down in the nearest chair I could find. "That's cheating. You know I don't have anything else."

A triumphant smirk lit up her face. "You're just lazy. I know how you are."

"No, it's called recycling. Last I checked, that was a good thing."

"Not in fashion, my dear!” She faced the mirror, as the platform lit up again. The magenta dress switched to a green satin one covered in jewels. “My best friend is not about to be an outfit repeater at my Princess Ball. Which is why you and your huffy little attitude are going to come up here and try some on."

"Are you kidding me?" I scoffed. “There’s no way I can afford anything in this store.”

I caught a glimpse of realization fly across her face. I could’ve sworn I saw her usual bright smile vanish, but it was back before I could be sure. “Well, of course you’re not going to pay. It’s my treat, don’t worry about it.”

I choked. “Stella, you said these are dresses from the top designers in the dimension. I’m not going to let you pay that much for a dress for me.”

“It’s a good thing I wasn’t asking for your permission then,” she declared, a mischievous grin on her face. “Now get up here!”

I couldn’t help remembering the last time this happened. Everyone else already had dresses for the Back to School dance freshmen year except for me, so we ran to Magix City to find one before the shops closed. However, the only one that was Stella-approved was more expensive than years’ worth of my Earth allowance. Even then, Stella insisted on paying for it, but she’d maxed out her card buying her own dress. I wouldn’t be so lucky this time. With the Princess Ball only days away, she was sure to have an unlimited spending amount to buy whatever she needed, and the confidence on her face assured my suspicions.

Money was a touchy subject between us; typically accompanied by awkward tension. Stella and I came from two very different backgrounds. On Earth, my family constantly worried about making ends meet. Even though my adoptive mother, Vanessa, owned her own flower shop, most of the assets went back into the shop to cover expenses. Add that with my adoptive father’s fireman salary, and they were scraping by. Mike practically instilled a penny pincher attitude in me from the moment they brought me home. Stella, on the other hand, lived in the lap of luxury since birth. Being Princess of Solaria had its perks. A palace, handmaids, expensive clothes, a literal trunk overflowing with prized Solarian jewels. All she knew was wealth. Her father was the king; she’d never had to concern herself with anything mundane.

She tried to be mindful of how different our life experiences were, but she was Stella. If a thought entered her brain, there was no stopping it from coming out of her mouth. I’d never resented her for it, but I couldn’t help envying her.

“Stella, I am not going up there.”

She threw a threatening glare at me.

"You find your dress first!" I told her. "It's _your_ ball! You finding a dress is the most important thing right now."

"My best friend has to look hot, too!" She paused, thinking over her statement. "Well, not as hot as me, but very close to it!"

“I already have half a mind to ditch you. Don’t make the other half want to ditch you, too.”

* * *

An hour later, Stella and I were still in the store, going through dress after dress after dress. I was slumped down in my chair, mind numb, giving Stella a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down with each gown she tried on.

After yet another flash, she was standing in a strappy, crimson-colored, silk sheer dress. Large orb-like crystal clasps pulled together the open front of the dress, accentuating her cleavage and providing a clear view of her navel. A matching red and crystal headband stood out against her blonde hair, completing the look.

Stella's eyes widened as she faced the mirror. "This is it!" she screamed, twirling around. "This is the dress!"

I gave it a dubious glance. “Not to be a letdown or anything, Stel, but isn’t this a little too . . . I don’t know, _exposed_? I’ve never been to a Princess Ball, but I’m pretty sure that’s not considered appropriate for a princess.”

She shook her head. “Bloom, I swear, you’re such a virgin to fashion,” she said, sadly. “It’s a tragedy. We really need to break you of that.”

I clenched my jaw. “Can we buy the dress and leave, please?”

“No, we cannot leave! You still have to get a dress!” With a wave of her hand, a holographic screen appeared in front of her. “But I do have to find out where mine is, so give me a minute.”

“What do you mean you have to find it? You’re _wearing_ it.”

“Oh, Bloom, you’re so adorably naïve!” she lamented, pressing on a picture of the dress she was wearing. A long list of information scrolled beside it. “Don’t you remember what I said? You can _try on_ any dress from any designer here. You can’t actually purchase th--” She gasped, clutching at her heart.

“What is it?” I rushed over to the platform, looking over her shoulder at the screen. Panning over all the information displayed, my eyes latched onto the price. My stomach dropped. “ _Twenty-thousand_?! You’re going to pay _twenty-thousand_ for this?"

“Look!” She jabbed her finger at the location marker with a small _1_ beside it. “There’s only one! And it’s at the boutique next to the White Horse Café! We have to go there now!” She grabbed my arm and dragged me to the staircase before I could process what she’d said.

"Can't we slow down?" I asked, trying not to stumble down the stairs. "How are you even going this fast in stilettos?"

“We’ll come back and get you a dress later!” Stella shouted, ignoring my request. “But I have to get this one before someone else steals it!”

“Stella, no one is going to buy your dress before you!”

Not one second after the words left my mouth, we ran past a flash of crimson.

Stella screeched to a halt, whipping her head around. I followed her line of sight, and suppressed a groan.

Chimera and the Betas were only a few feet away, trying on dresses. The dark-haired girl stood perched on the platform, admiring herself in the mirror while her friends complimented the dress she had on.

Her red dress.

Stella’s dress.

I leapt in front of them, desperate to draw Stella’s attention. “Stel, if you want to beat her to the dress, we have to leave. As in, leave here. Like now.”

She stepped past me like I wasn’t there, eyes blazing red as she stormed over to Chimera. “What do you think you’re doing wearing my Princess Ball dress?”

In the mirror’s reflection, Chimera’s dark lips turned in a vicious smirk. “You mean _my_ Princess Ball dress?”

There was a wicked gleam in her eyes that propelled my apprehension toward her into overdrive. What were the chances that Chimera decided to pick this store? What were the odds that she would pick the exact same dress as Stella? And showing up at the pizzeria on top of that?

They’d been spying on us. Since we’d stepped off the bus, they’d been following us around the city.

No. They weren’t spying on _us_. They were spying on Stella.

But why?

Grabbing Stella’s shoulder, I tried to pull her back. “She’s trying to piss you off,” I muttered in her ear. “This is what she wants. Let’s just go.”

She shrugged my hand away, continuing to snarl at Chimera.

“You should listen to your friend, little princess,” Chimera remarked, spinning around to face us. “Besides, we were just leaving. We have to go pick up _my_ dress.”

"Well, there's only one like it, and it's going to be mine!" Stella exclaimed.

I stiffened, catching how the pigtailed Beta was no longer standing by the platform. She lingered in my peripheral, attempting to remain unnoticed. Scanning the sales floor, I noticed the two workers I’d seen walking in had disappeared, leaving us completely alone. My Dragon Fire flickered to life in my chest, sensing the immediate threat. Heat built up in my palms preparing for an attack if need be, but it disappeared as fast as it formed. I tried not to show my frustration, mentally cursing my powers.

Despite my insistence on my powers being fine again, I had no idea how they would react in a fight. I hadn’t been in a battle since Relix where I had only used dark magic. At some point I would’ve ended up testing my powers to see their reaction, but I’d hoped for a controlled environment. Not in the middle of a dress shop.

As if on cue, shadowy claws raked down my mind, searching for a way in. My head started pounding, the whispers dominating my thoughts. _Let me in. Let me in. Let me in._

The store’s spell faded off Stella and Chimera, returning their normal clothes to them. Stepping off the platform, the head Beta glanced down at Stella’s sandals. “Do you always walk around with your shoes untied?”

Confusion washed over Stella’s face, looking down. “What?”

Everything happened in an instant.

Chimera shoved Stella behind her, tripping and pushing the princess up onto the platform she’d been perched on in one swift maneuver. Stella crashed onto the platform floor, frozen, not expecting the underhanded play.

“Stella!”

The pigtailed girl rushed me, taking advantage of my stunned state.

The darkness rushed back.

My body moved on its own. I twisted around to face her, a fire shield appearing across my forearm. She couldn’t stop herself in time, crashing straight into the flaming energy barrier. She let out a hair-raising scream as my shield burned through the sleeve of her dress and melted her skin into a scorched, festering mess. Her horrified gaze met mine for the briefest of instants, allowing me to see everything --her agony, her terror, and a familiar pair of catlike gold eyes reflecting back at me.

I felt my face turn up in a satisfied smile and pressed the shield harder against her. She wailed louder, thrashing, desperate to escape, but I only pushed further, scalding the poor girl.

I finally let up, bored of her tears. She fell back, collapsing in a heap on the floor.

Turning, Chimera and the spare stared at me with wide-eyed fear. They stepped back, watching spheres of fire engulf the palms of my hands.

I couldn’t help but smirk. “Who’s next?”

The Beta girls didn’t need to be told twice. Chimera took off toward the exit, the other one stopping momentarily to drag the sobbing girl with her.

My palms itched, dying to send the blazing infernos straight into them. I brought my arm back, preparing to launch the sphere. All I needed was one shot . . .

“Bloom, don’t!”

I hesitated, regaining control like someone had dumped a bucket of water over my head.

The fireballs dissipated into smoke as I slowly brought my arms back down to my sides. The same shadowy claws scratched harder at my mind, in a frenzy, demanding to be let back in. My nails bit into my palms, forcing myself to focus on facing Stella. Her tense shoulders sagged when she saw my face.

“Thank Arcadia!” she shouted. “Are you okay?”

It took everything in me to not glare at her. I resigned myself to a nod. “What about you?” I asked, approaching her.

“I’ve been better,” she said. She folded her arms across her chest, frowning. “I can’t believe I fell for that stupid trick! All of my shoes have an anti-untying charm!”

Choosing to ignore her, I started inspecting the shield Chimera had erected around Stella. Seeing my reflection in it, I was relieved to see my own blue eyes staring back. “We need to get you out of there before they get too far ahead.”

“Don’t worry about me! Go!”

I froze. “Go?” I repeated. “Stella, I’m not leaving you here!”

“Bloom, you have to!” she exclaimed. “I’m sure the spell will fade as soon as Chimera is out of range. Or at the very least, someone will eventually come out from the back and help. Put a hold on my dress until I get there!”

My eyes bugged. “You want me to go after them? Did you not see me almost go on a murderous rampage two minutes ago?”

“Yes, but you _didn’t_ go on a murderous rampage. Which means, you’re still in a better position than I am to get my dress before they do!”

“What if they get there first? What if I . . .” I clenched my fist, reluctant.

“Don’t think like that, you’ll be fine!” she yelled. “Honestly, I don’t care what you have to do. Just stop them!”

It was a terrible idea, bound to head for disaster. If any confrontation took place whatsoever, it was a guessing game of how deadly it would become. All that girl had to do was run up on me and I nearly burned all the flesh off her arm. Her only saving grace was that my dark side had gotten bored. The potential result of an engaging fight could be catastrophic.

But it was my best chance of getting Stella’s dress first.

Giving her a final glance, I took off after Chimera.

“Wait!” she called out after me. “I worded that wrong! Please don’t actually kill them!”

I tripped over my own feet as I stumbled out the sliding doors of the store. I combed the sidewalk for any sign of Chimera. I didn’t have to search for long. They hadn’t made it far, only to the street corner, chatting and inspecting the burn I’d given to the pigtailed girl. Chimera’s cobalt eyes widened when they met mine, shocked to see that I’d left Stella behind to pursue the dress. Just over the sound of passing cars, I heard her yell for the others to run.

In spite of their heels, the Beta girls were faster than me. I was at a severe disadvantage with my late start, leaving me almost half a block behind them and failing to gain any ground. I’d been a fast runner back on Earth, having secured the position of a high jumper on my school’s track and field team, but ever since I came to Magix, I heavily relied on my wings. And while I was comfortable performing spells, I still didn’t trust myself with transforming yet. Especially in public and without any of the girls there to help if something went awry.

I pushed past a number of passersby, drawing the attention of everyone walking down the sidewalk. Eyes burned into the back of my head, and whispers filled the air. While I couldn’t hear them, the shadowy spirits looming over their heads hissed them in my ear.

_Is that who I think it is? Isn’t that the girl who attacked the teacher from Alfea? I heard she almost killed that scientist’s son that went to Red Fountain! Didn’t she help Lord Darkar try to take the Ultimate Power? She’s nothing but Lord Darkar’s whore._

Each biting word was a slap in my face. I knew the public opinion of me couldn’t have been great after Mayor Dyamond debriefed the city on the events in Shadow Haunt. He’d been mum on the details involving me, but I wasn’t spared from the gossip that escaped Alfea’s walls. I knew it was a matter of time before my involvement reached the rest of the dimension, but I hadn’t anticipated just how malicious the backlash would be.

Maybe I had been right when talking to Ms. Faragonda. Maybe sedating me would’ve been a better option.

Stella’s words whispered in the back of my mind, low and taunting through the darkness. _I don’t care what you have to do! Just stop her!_ With a couple fire chains and a simple fireball, I could end the entire thing in less than a minute. Chimera and the Betas would be nothing more than ash to sweep off the pavement.

I shook the idea from my head. I’d already let the darkness slip into control once and burn that girl. As much as I didn’t like the Beta girls, using offensive spells was not an option.

However a teleportation spell was definitely an option.

I’d been to the White Horse Café dozens of times with Sky and the girls over the years. I knew it almost as well as my dorm room. All I needed was to picture it well enough in my mind’s eye, and with a little magic, I’d be standing there, right next door to the boutique holding Stella’s dress.

At the rate I was going, it was the only choice I had if I wanted to beat Chimera.

And I _had_ to beat Chimera.

Envisioning the White Horse, the teleportation spell flew out of my mouth.

The spell’s bright light never came.

I cursed my defective magic’s timing, muttering under my breath about how it only seemed to work these days when I didn’t need it.

“We don’t have time for this!” I yelled, ducking into the nearest alley. “Just focus! Focus, Bloom!”

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I constructed the café in my mind, forcing myself to recall every miniscule detail tucked away in my memory. My Dragon Fire stirred, sensing my command to awaken. It was a risky idea, trying to fuel a teleportation spell with my Dragon Fire considering I wasn’t sure how much darkness was lingering, but I didn’t have another choice.

I shouted the teleportation spell again.

A sharp pain sliced through me.

I clutched at my chest, expecting to see some remnants of a power blast or some magical attack. Not a single thread was misplaced or broken. For a moment, I wondered if my magic had rebounded and attacked myself instead, but I hadn’t attempted a combative spell. Which only meant one thing: my magic tapped into a spell it wasn’t supposed to.

An unfamiliar force invaded my Flame, ensnaring it in its piercing grip. I’d experienced something similar when Icy, Darcy, and Stormy used their Whisperian Crystals to take the Dragon Fire from me. The power they’d used felt dark and chaotic, pure unyielding evil. This energy was different. It was warm, inviting even, like it wanted to coax the Flame to leave willingly.

The tether connecting my Flame to my soul suddenly snapped. A surge of pure emptiness flooded my body, leaving a hollow chill in my bones. A single bright flame sprung from my chest, dancing in the shadows swarming the edges of my vision. It hovered inches away, so close I could’ve snatched it back if I’d had the strength. I watched, helpless, as the flame shot into the sky, vanishing past the expanse of clouds. With each passing second, the temperature around me plummeted further and further. Shivers wracked my body, and my lungs ached as they pushed out one final breath before the blackness swept me away.

A white cloud of smoke billowed out into the air as I collapsed to the pavement.


End file.
